Rockwell
Rockwell was a Pre-War weapons manufacturer from Sydney, New South Wales. They are famed for producing the rugged and reliable .32 SMG, the Semi-Auto Rifle, and even the Pan Machine Gun. Despite being wiped out in the War, schematics and machines from Australia-based factories still see new - if lower quality - weapons created. History Rockwell was founded by two former Australian Army gunsmiths in 1941 to supply the Second Australian Imperial Force with small arms, more specifically the Owen Sub Machine Gun. The produced hundreds of SMGs, Rifles and LMGs during the war and continued manufacturing for the civilian and military markets after the war. Rockwell's continued success was guaranteed when they won the manufacturing rights to the Australian Military's 'S'elf 'L'oading 'R'ifle (SLR), a derivative of the European FN FAL. From the early 21st century right up until the bombs, Rockwell churned out .32 SMGs (the Owen Gun) and Sem-Automatic Rifles (the SLR) for the Australian military, becoming their sole supplier of small arms in 2054. As the 21st century continued, Rockwell's profits looked likely to dip - the government wasn't looked to expand, the colonial police in Papua and New Guinea had not renewed their contract and the civilian population was relaxed and unwilling to shell out the money for a military-calibre rifle. Coming into the 2060s, newspaper headlines screamed of mass layoffs, factory shutdowns, and the end of the local Australian gun industry. Even the US market was no longer buying Rockwell guns, preferring the new laser and plasma weaponry. The Chinese invasion of Papua and New Guinea helped solve Rockwell's problems. The rapid Chinese invasion saw weapons dumps overrun, units forced back in disarray and a frightened and malleable public - perfect for a cunning small arms producer. CEO Thomas Duro targeted advertisements to all members of the public, whipping up a frenzy of gun owners. This - added on to the already sizeable government demand for Rockwell weapons - saw the company boom. As the Chinese advanced closer and closer to Port Moresby, Rockwell's profits continued to climb. Rockwell even began the manufacture of the Pan Machine Gun, the LMG of the Australian Army. The rugged dependability of the Australian equipment meant it even saw use with some US Special Forces groups. As the war in Papua winded down, Rockwell's manufacture slowed. It was likely the company would seep into another depression, especially with the greater and greater adoption of American energy weapons. Rockwell tried to break into the market, creating a few prototypes, however, they did not develop these very far. Both luckily and unlikely, the Great War arrived, preventing both the Post-War depression and the potential expansion of the company. Products As the primary producer of military small arms for the Australian Military, Rockwell produced a limited number of firearms in great numbers. The primary products of Rockwell are: .32 SMG The .32 SMG (known otherwise as the Owen Gun) is a common sight among wasteland warriors, roaming raiders and trusty traders. The rugged and reliable weapon - famed even Pre-War for its sheer durability - has earned it a special place in the Post-War world. Its commonness keeps the price low, however, the sheer demand for such an excellent weapon means that the price isn't incredibly low. It's even produced on a small scale by Post-War factories around Australia. Overall, the .32 SMG is a reliable and common weapon found from Bella to Williamstown. Semi-Auto Rifle The Semi-Auto Rifle was the Pre-War military rifle of the Australian Army. Firing 15 rounds of .308, the weapon was popular in the wide open test ranges of Australia. In the thick jungles of Papua and New Guinea, however, the weapon was less popular as it would get caught on low hanging branches and vines. Despite this, it was rugged and reliable - like most Australian equipment - and proved popular in the Post-War world when you want 9 raiders dead from 700 metres. It proves popular among paramilitary groups like the Bushrangers. Pan Machine Gun The Pan Machine Gun was the culmination of over 120 years of borrowing British machine guns. Combining all the best aspects of the Bren with those of the Lewis Gun, the Pan Machine Gun fires 47 rounds of .308 at a steady fire rate, allowing it to mow-down Chinese communists, strung out raiders and neighbouring towns with ease. The cost of running and maintaining machine guns like this prevent it from appearing too frequently but when it does, it proves highly effective. It is often found mounted onto naval vessels, like the Capitans' Louis. Prototypes and Unique Weapons Having been the primary supplier of military weapons to the Australian Military since the middle of the 21st century, Rockwell was not going to stand by idly as Americans took over their business. In 2076, they began research into their own laser weaponry. The war came too soon for anything lasting to arrive of this, but some unique prototypes (both energy and ballistic) still survive till today. Mk.4 Special Based off a defunct .44 service revolver, the Mk.4 Special was produced in a remote facility in New South Wales. Aesthetically, it is similar to the original revolver. However, wires and glowing lights all over the device show it for what it is - a high powered energy weapon. Using stolen American Microfusion Cells in place of .44 magnum rounds, the Mk.4 does high damage at close ranges. It is rumoured to be located somewhere within the Rockwell Factory in Smithfield, New South Wales. Legacy Rockwell's legacy in Post-War Australia cannot be underestimated. As the primary producer of Pre-War military weapons, they have been the root cause of thousands of cases of vengeance, murder and robbery. Caches of still pristine Semi-Auto Rifles, .32 SMGs and Pan Machine Guns are still found all over the wasteland, adding to the already saturated market of wasteland firearms. The wide reach of Rockwell has meant that dozens of factories have been raided, looted or renovated to restart production. Rockwell's shadow hangs over every wasteland war, from Tasmania to Papua and New Guinea. Category:Pre-War Group Category:Pre-War Tech Category:Defunct